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NE Oregon and the UP
Author: SP5103
Date: 01-25-2015 - 23:33
Weather in NE Oregon has been more spring like (aka mud) than winter. Hopefully we get some more snow. A little bit of cabin fever has resulted in a few trips down old US 30 in the afternoon.
One day all I could find was the local bringing empties to the cement plant near Durkee. Other days I happen to hit it just right.
Yesterday saw a few trains. UP 3262 (SD40-2) was DIC on one train headed west. The odd one was a smaller westbound train running 1+1 with mostly stacks and a few auto racks just about dark.
Today's trains included a few outside the norm. A 3+2+0 westbound had UP 8707 5009 (SD70ACe) a block of loaded auto racks then UP 6348 (SP patch) 8148 followed by mixed manifest including a handful of racks. It looked more like UP combined two small trains rather than purposely putting helpers in the middle, except the rear of the train didn't have too many loads for two units to be pushing against. It went in the hole at Quartz and the heavy eastbound was running 3+2 with UP 5501 3552 3744 + CP 8785 UP 3601. This train was a unit of covered hoppers and obviously loaded. The train was mostly private cars, but the presence of some CP/Soo and an Agrium hopper, a few smaller cube hoppers and the CP unit makes me think this was a fertilizer train out of Canada.
They waited on main 2 at Pleasant Valley for one of the westbound Z trains which had UP 5132 4648 5923. Its not unusual to catch one of both westbound Zs in the late afternoon. The previous westbound (8707) was still stuck a Quartz and the Z train passed it and then it followed them west.
UP does seem to make an effort to keep the Z trains moving, but there have been times where all the other trains seem to screech to a halt for unknown reasons. I can't imagine they are running out of time. Have to head to Western Washington tomorrow so will see what is moving over the Blues and down the Gorge.
Question - What is the current UP union agreement on a runaround? Can the crew claim anything at the time of the runaround, or do they keep the pool turns in order and they only get paid if they aren't rested and the crew behind them gets called first?
One day all I could find was the local bringing empties to the cement plant near Durkee. Other days I happen to hit it just right.
Yesterday saw a few trains. UP 3262 (SD40-2) was DIC on one train headed west. The odd one was a smaller westbound train running 1+1 with mostly stacks and a few auto racks just about dark.
Today's trains included a few outside the norm. A 3+2+0 westbound had UP 8707 5009 (SD70ACe) a block of loaded auto racks then UP 6348 (SP patch) 8148 followed by mixed manifest including a handful of racks. It looked more like UP combined two small trains rather than purposely putting helpers in the middle, except the rear of the train didn't have too many loads for two units to be pushing against. It went in the hole at Quartz and the heavy eastbound was running 3+2 with UP 5501 3552 3744 + CP 8785 UP 3601. This train was a unit of covered hoppers and obviously loaded. The train was mostly private cars, but the presence of some CP/Soo and an Agrium hopper, a few smaller cube hoppers and the CP unit makes me think this was a fertilizer train out of Canada.
They waited on main 2 at Pleasant Valley for one of the westbound Z trains which had UP 5132 4648 5923. Its not unusual to catch one of both westbound Zs in the late afternoon. The previous westbound (8707) was still stuck a Quartz and the Z train passed it and then it followed them west.
UP does seem to make an effort to keep the Z trains moving, but there have been times where all the other trains seem to screech to a halt for unknown reasons. I can't imagine they are running out of time. Have to head to Western Washington tomorrow so will see what is moving over the Blues and down the Gorge.
Question - What is the current UP union agreement on a runaround? Can the crew claim anything at the time of the runaround, or do they keep the pool turns in order and they only get paid if they aren't rested and the crew behind them gets called first?
| Subject | Written By | Date/Time (PST) |
|---|---|---|
 NE Oregon and the UP |
SP5103 | 01-25-2015 - 23:33 |